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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25021027">listening</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurora_chiroptera/pseuds/aurora_chiroptera'>aurora_chiroptera</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dinner, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Far Future, Immortal Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Politics, Post-Canon, Romantic Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:01:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,143</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25021027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurora_chiroptera/pseuds/aurora_chiroptera</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three looks at Magnus and Alec's life, post canon.</p><p>These were for the prompts: things you said at the kitchen table; things you said too quietly; things you said when we were the happiest we ever were.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>listening</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A few fics that I had only posted on Tumblr and wanted to get up here as well!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Magnus came home to find sounds coming from the kitchen. He tossed his coat off and went to find out what his husband could be up too.</p><p>“Alexander, I thought we agreed that you weren’t allowed to cook dinner after the last incident?” Magnus called, moving to lean a hip on the island and crossing his arms. “You’re to stick to breakfast foods only.”</p><p>Alec leaned over, kissing Magnus on the forehead in greeting. “You weren’t supposed to be home yet!” He then took the spoon from the pot in front of him, holding it up for Magnus to taste. At Magnus’ weary look he laughed and said, “I promise, I have been practicing.”</p><p>Magnus trusted Alec completely but is still weary after the stew incident… and the spaghetti incident… and the pad thai incident… Generally, it was better to have Alec choose take out when it was his turn to get them dinner. Sighing, he leaned forward and tasted it.</p><p>An explosion of favor, but a good one. His wide eyes must have expressed his surprise to Alec because his husband laughed. “It’s good, right?”</p><p>“It is,” Magnus said, and saw there was also a salad and bread made to go with the soup. “And you made this yourself?”</p><p>Alec laughed again and carried things to the kitchen table. Magnus grabbed the bread and some soft garlic butter before following. “Yes. I didn’t bribe Raphael to make it.”</p><p>“He would have texted me as soon as you asked if you did.” Magnus couldn’t help to chuckle as well. Alec’s laughter, the warmth of coming home to someone, to be cared for, after a long day… It always felt like the answer to a dream come true, no matter how many years passed.</p><p>“Of course, and anyway, I think he blocked my number again as a joke,” Alec said, shaking his head.</p><p>“No, he’s just ignoring you,” Magnus assured, causing Alec to roll his eyes as they both sat. Magnus caught Alec’s hand before he started serving. “Thank you for making dinner.”</p><p>“Wait till we finish it before giving my nighttime kitchen permissions back, I could still have messed something up,” Alec gave Magnus’ hand a squeeze before letting it go. He served them both the soup while Magnus handled the salad.</p><p>“I am sure it will be wonderful,” Magnus smiled. “You tend to succeed at anything you put your mind to.”</p><p>“Only because you inspire me.” Alec’s eyes were warm hazel as he turned his attention back to Magnus</p><p>“Alexander, are you flirting with me?” Magnus grinned as he waved his hand and two glasses of red wine appeared at the table. “Do you have a dessert planned?”</p><p>Alec pretended to look thoughtful. “I have a few options depending on your… appetite.”</p><p>“I think I might have some suggestions…”</p><p>(***)</p><p>The room around them was loud. Magnus wasn’t yet comfortable being in a space that was almost entirely filled with shadowhunters or to be living in the center of Alicante for that matter. He tugged at his sleeves to make sure they were hanging straight before he fiddled with the cuff on his ear.</p><p>He needed to find Alec. There were too many unfriendly faces, unfriendly despite the fact they were the ones to invite Magnus here and the fact he has saved them all. Ungrateful, but weren’t they always? Could they be changed?</p><p>The weight of their stares, hidden in sidelong glances and over the rim of drinks, made his chest feel tight. Magnus took a few deep breathes, moving his hand from his ear and into his coat pocket. The soft stitches of the omamori charm Alec gave him a year ago helped ground him.</p><p>“Oh Alexander, I hope we can actually make the changes we dream of,” Magnus murmured quietly.</p><p>“What’s that?” Alec appeared at his side, a drink in each hand. He passed one to Magnus and then rested a reassuring hand on the small of his back.</p><p>Magnus smiled up at him, and took a long sip before he assured, “It’s nothing.”</p><p>Alec frowned as if he didn’t quite believe that, but it was clear he wasn’t going to push the matter here. Alec pressed a kiss to the side of Magnus’ forehead. “Okay.” His voice lowered a bit, and Magnus just caught it over the noise of the room. “Let me know at any point if we need to leave.”</p><p>Magnus leaned into the comfort and warmth of his husband. The looks they were getting now changed, less hostile even if not fully welcoming. “Do we need a ‘time to escape political mingling’ safe word?”</p><p>Alec laughed, before quickly covering the sound with a drink. His sparkling eyes turned to Magnus, smirk around his lips. “Now you might be onto something.”</p><p>Magnus couldn’t help smiling back before he swallowed more of his drink and straightened. “Just… stay beside me?”</p><p>Magnus thought he might have been too quiet again, but Alec’s expression turned more serious and he nodded. He offered his arm to Magnus and Magnus took it with an appreciative smile. Alec leaned to murmur in his ear, “We’re going into enemy territory. We stick together.”</p><p>“Better odds,” Magnus said and Alec chuckled. “Alright, which dusty old shadowhunter are we playing nice with first?”</p><p>(***)</p><p>There was no sound more beautiful than Magnus’ laughter. Alec felt he could say that with confidence, considering he had been listening to that laugh for over a hundred years, had over a hundred years of other sounds to compare it with. As Magnus leaned on the balcony beside him, overlooking the ever-changing New York, Alec didn’t need any other view but his husband.</p><p>Magnus felt his gaze, and turned, an easy grin on his face. “Alexander, something on your mind?”</p><p>Alec moved closer, wrapping an arm around Magnus’ waist. “Just thinking about how I’d marry you all over again.”</p><p>Magnus’ smile widened, just as Alec hoped it would. “Maybe once they finish that fancy, new moon base?”</p><p>“I would marry you on any planet,” Alec murmured it like the promise it was. “You would look as beautiful under earthlight as moonlight.”</p><p>Magnus rested his arms on Alec’s shoulders, pulling him closer. Alec couldn’t resist leaning down and kissing him. Every kiss they shared seemed as thrilling as the first. Every kiss was better, really, because he wasn’t nervous and angry and relieved as he was with the first time he and Magnus ever kissed.</p><p>When they part, and Alec gazed in Magnus’ dark brown eyes, warm like home and comfort, he said, “I would marry you on any planet, and will on every one I can.”</p><p>Alec could feel Magnus’ beautiful laugh now, rumbling through his chest. “Careful, I might just take you up on that.”</p><p>“I hope you do,” Alec said, leaning his forehead against Magnus’. “We have forever, after all.”</p>
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